New Delhi, May 7 : In the wake of the Indian Army’s decisive and strategic counterterrorism response—Operation Sindoor—India’s sports establishment has come out to salute the armed forces for their bold and measured response to the terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 tourists lost their lives.

From cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and World Cup heroes Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina and Chetan Sharma to Olympic and Paralympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Devendra Jhajharia; from cricket stars Shikhar Dhawan, Pragyan Ojha, Jhulan Goswami and Varun Chakravarthy; to wrestlers, boxers and other athletes, the Indian sports community have risen in unison to support 'Operation Sindoor'.

In the early hours of May 7, India launched precision strikes targeting nine high-value terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok), in response to the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives—25 Indians and one Nepali national.

The air and missile strikes focused only on terror infrastructure linked with internationally designated groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Care was taken to avoid civilian casualties or damage to Pakistan’s military assets, underlining India’s commitment to strategic restraint even in retaliation.

Cricketers—many of whom have long been vocal in support of India’s armed forces—were quick to respond with heartfelt messages on social media, using hashtags like #OperationSindoor and #JaiHind, now trending nationwide.

Sachin Tendulkar, the master blaster, weighed in with a unifying message that struck a chord across age groups: “Fearless in unity. Boundless in strength. India’s shield is her people. There’s no room for terrorism in this world. We’re ONE TEAM!”

"Wrestling icon and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia, whose brother was killed in the Pahalgam attack, also broke his silence with a moving tribute to the Army’s bravery.

“I am immensely proud of our Indian Army. They have honoured the death of my brother with justice, courage, and precision,” Punia told IANS.

“Their actions have brought some solace to families like mine while making the entire nation proud. It is our duty to support the armed forces without division or politics. On matters of national security, the country must speak in one voice. Let this operation be a warning: any attack on India will be met with strength and resolve,” said Punia.